


Visual (He)arts Department

by DoomedTemperament



Series: KnB Art University AU [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Art, Awkward Conversations, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Polyamory, Romance, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-05-22 12:45:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 18,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6079788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoomedTemperament/pseuds/DoomedTemperament
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A blonde photographer, a redheaded graphic designer, and a blue-haired filmmaker meet at the Kiseki Institute of Art. These are snapshots of their lives. (mini-chapter collection in progress)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which Aomine briefly interrogates Kise

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, my first KnB fic, and my first fic with polyamory too. I realize this is a pretty rare pair, but I thought I might as well go for it. Who knows, maybe someone somewhere might like it!
> 
> If anyone reads this (which I'm hoping at least someone will,) I will also take prompts for the AU.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

It was a beautiful day at the park; The sun was shining brightly in the sky, the wind was light, and it would have been a perfect day for Kise to take pictures for his latest project.

It would have been, but it wasn't- because Aomine was distracting him.

It wasn't as though Kise hated Aomine or anything- as a matter of fact, they were actually good friends. They both went to the Kiseki Institute of Art, they were both majoring in photography, and though their personalities may have seemed to clash they worked well together. Where Kise was energetic and vibrant, often easily excitable, Aomine was able to keep himself more cool and collected (or so he liked to believe.) More often than not, the two would engage in semi-playful banter as they worked together on assignments, and they'd occasionally spend time on non-class-related terms, where they would either eat at Maji Burger, or go shopping (at Kise's insistence.) Kise enjoyed Aomine's company.

But he _didn't_ enjoy being interrogated about a particular pair of fellow art students.

"Really, I don't get why you don’t just ask them to hang out or something. It’s not like they can’t tolerate you," Aomine drawled as he watched Kise fiddle with the buttons on his digital camera. To his credit, up until now, Aomine had been subtle regarding his suspicions of Kise's involvement in the lives of two others. But eventually, his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

"And what would I say? It's not like I've had much time to think about it." Kise added neutrally, trying to focus on adjusting the settings so he could capture a decent picture of a butterfly that had landed on a nearby flower.

"But you admit that you’ve been thinking about it."

Kise groaned, and turned towards Aomine with an almost-pouting expression. "Can we please not talk about them? I told you, it's not like that between us!"

"Not yet,” Aomine raised an eyebrow and folded his hands across his chest, clearly skeptical.

The "us" in question happened to deal with two other students that Kise knew- Kagami and Kuroko. Aomine didn't know much about them; While the two other men also attended the institute, they were in completely different tracks from Aomine and Kise, which led Aomine to wonder how they even met in the first place. According to Kise, Kagami was a, quote unquote, “fiery redhead” in the graphic design track. Kise had gone on and on about how he had muscles for days in addition to a huge appetite, how he had spent time in America, how he looked brutal but probably had a heart of gold or some shit like that. And on the other side, Kuroko was a short little blue-haired angel who was apparently cuter than anyone on campus, who loved reading yet was going into film studies, and was the proud owner of an adorable puppy.

And Kise wouldn’t shut up about them.

“Come on, you’re not that great at lying. Every time we meet up you have a new story to tell about _Kurokocchi and Kagamicchi_ ,” Aomine impersonated Kise then, “And how cute and amazing they are. It’s almost kind of funny.”

Kise had enough presence to look miffed, completely devoting his attention to Aomine then. “I talk about everyone like that!”

“Don’t I know it,” Aomine retorted dryly, and leveled an even stare at Kise. “But you seem especially infatuated with those two. I haven’t even met them yet and it’s blatantly obvious how gay you are for them.”

“I’m not!” Kise said all too quickly, sporting a light blush.

“ _De Nile_ isn’t just a river in Egypt, you know.”

“Since when do you make puns?”

Aomine frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I know you have appearances to keep up, but we’re friends, right? You can tell me stuff and I’ll try to support you.”

Kise blinked- that was probably one of the most genuine things Aomine had said to him. He shifted his weight from foot to foot awkwardly, and nodded. “Y-yeah.”

A pregnant pause lasted between them, until Kise shook his head and said, “You know, I guess I’m not really good at being subtle, am I?”

“Not really,” Aomine shrugged, and glanced away, before sporting a shit-eating grin. “Just tell me when you finally manage to score, I can practically feel the sexual frustration radiating off of you.”

_“Aominecchi!”_

Then, as a very red-looking Kise chased a cackling Aomine across the park, all thoughts of taking photographs were completely forgotten.


	2. In which Kagami reflects on his relationship status with Kuroko (pre-Kise)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But they weren't dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW I wrote this stream of thought and by the end of it I realized I hadn't even managed to fit Kise in ;-; BUT I promise promise PROMISE there will be Kise in the next chapter! Most likely it will delve into how he met Kagami and Kuroko, and then we'll start seeing some of the good stuff.
> 
> So yeah, here's a bit of backstory and insight to Kagami and Kuroko's relationship.

Kagami and Kuroko totally weren’t dating.

That was what Kagami told himself.

Sure, they had gone to the same school three years prior and found shared passion in the arts, and sure, they may or may not have decided that moving to Kagami’s apartment after graduation was a better idea than Kuroko trying to find his own place, leading to them to share a living space more often than not, and sure, maybe they kissed every now and then.

But they weren’t dating.

Living together was surprisingly easy. Kagami cooked more often than not, Kuroko cleaned more often than not, and they shared every other chore. Kagami’s bedroom was a messy amalgam of art supplies, comic books, and computer supplies, while Kuroko’s was much neater, save for the large shelf of DVDs and other movie paraphernalia. So what if they may or may not have shared a bed on the colder nights because Kagami was essentially a human furnace.

They weren’t dating.

Kuroko’s parents would visit every other weekend, bringing along their dog (which was completely against the landlord’s rules, but nobody really seemed to mind.) Sometimes Kuroko and Kagami would take him out on walks together, though Kuroko usually had to bribe Kagami with food before he would agree. Sometimes they went shopping together. It didn’t matter if Kagami would sometimes tell Kuroko a joke, and Kuroko would laugh in that special way that only Kagami got to hear, and it didn’t matter if Kuroko would occasionally say something that could be considered flirtatious if not for the deadpan tone of voice he delivered it in.

They weren’t dating.

Kagami had no hangups about his sexuality; he was interested in who he was interested in, and that just happened to be men. And he was mostly certain that Kuroko’s attraction, rare as it may be, also happened to be with men. And if they might have exchanged one or several handjobs when the stress levels were through the roof or when one of them was unable to sleep, who cared?

They weren’t dating.

Sometimes Kagami’s friends from America, Alex and Himuro, would tease him about Kuroko, asking when the marriage was. Sometimes their friends, Riko, Hyuuga, and Kiyoshi, all from their school days, would invite the pair to catch up while not-quite-inconspicuously jabbing at Kuroko to “hurry it up.” It wasn’t important that sometimes Kagami would roll his eyes and insist that things just weren’t the way they thought, or sometimes Kuroko would get a far-away look in his eyes and wear an expression that was even more unreadable than his default.

They weren’t dating.

Despite the fact that they had different majors, they still saw each other as much as one would expect once they were enrolled. On the nights where Kagami would groan in frustration, staring at his laptop until he fell asleep, he would later wake up in the wee hours of the morning to see a blanket draped over him. On the days where Kuroko would rifle through his textbooks, jotting down notes and flicking his eyes back and forth between the TV screen and his papers, Kagami would approach him and leave a warm plate of food for him to eat so that he wouldn’t be interrupted.

Still, Kagami knew they weren’t…

…

…

Oh, hell.


	3. In which two worlds collide- literally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...and occasionally there would be moments where something would pop out of nowhere. Or in that particular day’s case, someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where our boys first meet!
> 
> Also, I'd like to say that I'm very glad people are liking this fic so far!

Despite what Kagami might have said, Kuroko knew he enjoyed taking Nigou out for walks on the weekends. There was something almost calming about the routine, a small break in the business of their daily lives to relax. Plus, Kuroko liked to go people-watching. It was one of the benefits of his “low presence,” as others called it. Normally, their walks were filled with idle chatter- Kuroko would talk about his most recent movie study assignment, while Kagami would complain about how frustrating it was to work in the computer lab (“They don’t even use the most recent version of illustrator, and the teacher keeps confusing me with that other red-haired guy when we don’t even look alike!”) Kuroko thought it was nice, when there weren’t interruptions. Unfortunately (or, as he would realize later, _very_ fortunately,) while the area wasn't necessarily busy, occasionally there would be moments where something would pop out of nowhere. Or in that particular day’s case, someone.

The pair and the dog were walking through one of the less-crowded areas of the city, blissfully unaware of any change in their surroundings- until out of the blue, Kuroko heard a loud “Wait!”, and moments later, a figure barreled straight into him and knocked him to the ground, causing Nigou to let out a bark, and Kagami to let out a surprised yelp.

“Ah, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to approach you so fast, but I need to take a picture of your dog! Here, let me help you up.”

Before Kuroko could register the words, a hand was offered to him, and he gratefully held it as its owner pulled him off the sidewalk. Upon looking up, he came face-to-face with a very panicked man holding a camera. Kuroko was relatively quick to bounce back from the incident, while Kagami was still trying to register just what had happened.

“It’s fine. Many people bump into me anyway,” Kuroko said, glancing around to make sure he hadn’t caused a scene. “You said you needed to take a picture of Nigou, though. May I ask why?”

The stranger sighed with apparent relief, and ran his fingers through his blonde locks with the hand that wasn’t holding the camera. “It’s for a photography project. I have one week to take one hundred pictures, and I’m required to take at least four pictures of pets. I’m really behind on it, so when I saw you two walking your dog,” the stranger gestured to Kuroko and Kagami, the latter of which was watching the stranger with mild confusion, “I had to stop you. Though, I didn’t intend to push you to the ground.” The stranger looked a bit sheepish then, and Kuroko felt obligated to accept his earlier apology.

“You can take a few pictures of him if you want,” Kuroko responded politely, and moved out of the way so other pedestrians could pass. The stranger fussed with the camera for a few moments before crouching down and snapping a quick picture of Nigou. When he stood up, he looked at the screen and grinned brightly. “Thank you so much- he looks great!” He then promptly shoved the camera into Kuroko’s hands.

It was actually quite a nice picture.

After returning the camera, Kuroko noticed Kagami looking at the stranger with curiosity.

“You don’t happen to go to the Kiseki Institute, do you?” Kagami asked, and the stranger nodded enthusiastically.

“I do!” He responded, and held out his hand for Kagami to shake. “I’m Kise Ryouta. I don’t think I’ve seen you two around campus- what tracks are you in?”

Kagami smiled slightly, and shook Kise's hand. “I’m in the graphic design track, he’s in the film track,” He ruffled Kuroko’s hair, then gestured to himself. “The name’s Kagami Taiga.”

Kuroko smoothed down his hair as he watched the exchange, and shook Kise’s hand when if was offered to him afterward. “Kuroko Tetsuya. It’s nice to meet you, Kise-kun.”

Kise practically beamed at the two, and added, “It’s nice to meet you too. I hope I can see you both on campus sometime.” He stooped down again to pet Nigou on the head, then stood back up, waved- “Thanks again for letting me take the picture!”- and left. If Kuroko wasn't mistaken, Kise had a bit of a sway in his step.

“Well, that was unusual.” Kagami spoke after a while. Kuroko hummed quietly, and motioned for Kagami to continue the walk. Nigou barked happily.

Though he didn’t think much of the incident at the time, it would only be the first of many meetings with Kise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: My short-lived experience in digital photography class actually included an assignment where we were supposed to take 100 photos in a week, some of which required peoples' pets. It was incredibly awkward when I had to ask for pictures...


	4. In which burgers are consumed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But at 1 AM, after spending most of the night working on editing image after image on his laptop (because honestly, Kise was a bit of a procrastinator,) nothing sounded better than a fast food run for a quick and easy meal before he crashed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a five-day weekend, so... here's an early chapter!
> 
> I just realized this fic is less drabbles and more very-very-short-chapters, so I'm not sure how to deal with that. I also didn't intend for it to be written chronologically, but that's how it's turning up, so... shrug. Oh well.
> 
> Also, though I've been posting a chapter a day, it most likely won't continue that consistently for too long, as midterms are coming up... OTL

While Kise wasn’t exactly a model- well, not anymore, but that’s a different story- he liked to keep his figure in check. Burgers and fries were usually out of the question. But at 1 AM, after spending most of the night working on editing image after image on his laptop (because honestly, Kise was a bit of a procrastinator,) nothing sounded better than a fast food run for a quick and easy meal before he crashed. Which is how he found himself walking through the chilly air from his apartment to Maji Burger, sighing with joy when he finally entered the warm interior of the restaurant.

After ordering a burger, fries, and a vanilla shake as a treat, he gladly took his food and looked around for a clean table, immediately stopping when he spotted two familiar faces sitting at a booth by one of the far windows.

“Kurokocchi! Kagamicchi!” Kise said loudly, and tried to wave at the duo despite his hands being full. Kagami lifted his head to find the source of the noise, and motioned for Kise to come over when he spotted him. Kise happily approached the two, a spring in his step despite the tiredness that would inevitably come once he was done eating and went home. Kise took a seat next to Kagami, who was hungrily scarfing down his fourth burger of the night, based on the wrappers that were scattered on the table, and glanced across at Kuroko, who was sipping on a shake.

“Good evening, Kise-kun. We weren’t expecting to see you here.” Kuroko said, earning a nod from Kagami as he just barely finished stuffing his cheeks like a squirrel.

“Yeah. It’s pretty late,” Kise commented, then looked between the two, “So, why are you two here?”

Kagami groaned, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We were both pulling an all-nighter and I started getting hungry, so we made our way down here. It’s one of the only places around that’s actually open this late.” he said, taking another bite.

Kuroko took another sip from his cup, and added, “They have good vanilla shakes here, too.”

Kise hummed, and ate a few of his own fries.

“I thought you two were in different tracks, though. Were you just spending the night together while you worked?”

Both Kagami and Kuroko stopped at that moment, creating an awkward pause, before Kagami spoke up.

“Actually, we, uh… we share an apartment.”

Kise’s eyebrows rose, and without thinking, he asked, “Are you two dating?” then hastily added, “I mean, it’s fine if you are, no judgements here!”

Kagami and Kuroko shared an odd look, and Kuroko turned back to Kise. “It’s not exactly like that.”

Kise glanced between the two, unsure of what Kuroko’s answer was supposed to mean, then let out an awkward laugh. “I guess it wasn't really my business prying, anyway.” He unwrapped the burger and took a large bite in an attempt to silence himself.

Kuroko tried to take another sip of his shake, frowning when he realized the cup was empty.

“Out of curiosity, why are you here, Kise-kun?”

Kise shook his head lightly. “I just got finished with a photo editing project, and I realized I hadn’t eaten in awhile.”

Thankfully, whatever stilted air that had been surrounding the three had cleared. As time passed and Kise ate, they talked idly about their classes, which professor was the best, and what they planned to do after graduation. Eventually, the food was finished, and the three were all tired enough that it was hard to hold a conversation without yawning. Kise slid out of the booth to let Kagami through, and smiled tiredly when the two waved goodbye to him. Seeing as Kise’s apartment complex was on the opposite side of Kuroko and Kagami’s, he had plenty of time to get lost in his thoughts as he walked. When Kise finally arrived at his apartment, he flopped straight into bed, still fully clothed aside from his shoes.

His last thought of the night was- “I wonder when I’ll get to see those two again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's not a whole lot of actual art in this fic yet, so I'm going to try to incorporate some actual schoolwork stuff in the next chapter.


	5. In which twitter is used

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After knowing each other for so long, Kuroko could read Kagami like a book- then again, Kagami knew he must have been pretty transparent beforehand, too. Kuroko gave him a blank look, and strolled over to pluck the phone out of his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know I said I'd dive more into the actual schoolwork this chapter, but it ended up not happening. I'm going to hopefully incorporate it into the next drabble-chapter and maybe then we'll actually establish some of what goes on at the institute.
> 
> For now, please take this short filler.

“Are you stalking Kise-kun’s twitter profile?”

Kagami looked up from his phone on his spot at the couch in the main room, and watched as Kuroko carefully set down his bag of film equipment on the coffee table.

“Of course not,” He lied.

After knowing each other for so long, Kuroko could read Kagami like a book- then again, Kagami knew he must have been pretty transparent beforehand, too. Kuroko gave him a blank look, and strolled over to pluck the phone out of his hands.

_★Kise★ **@heyitsryouta** [2h]  
Time for some R &R! Classwork can wait for me to finish taking a shower ;) **#lookinggood**_

Kagami’s face grew flushed, and Kuroko scrolled through the page. Kise tended to overuse hashtags and emojis, based on what Kagami had seen earlier, and most of his tweets were about inane details from his day- the real points of interest were the selfies that he posted every now and then. Kuroko hummed thoughtfully as he looked through Kise’s pictures.

“How did you find this in the first place?” Kuroko asked.

A long pause followed, until Kagami finally spoke up. “He told us his name, didn’t he? All I had to do was type it in the search bar.” He hesitated, and added, “You have to admit, his selfies are surprisingly good.”

“Kise-kun is very photogenic,” Kuroko agreed, looked in thought for a second, then said, “I wonder if that’s why he went into photography..”

Kagami shrugged as he watched Kuroko tap away on his phone. “Maybe. He’s definitely cute enough to be a model.”

“Did you just say Kise-kun was cute?”

Kagami’s face turned a bright shade of red, and he nearly sputtered. “That’s not what I meant!” After receiving an all-too-attentive look from Kuroko, he added, “And besides, he’s not really my type, you know? He’s tall, blonde- not that there are any problems with that kind of thing, but I’m not--!”

“Which is why you’ve been looking through everything he posted in the last two weeks.” Kuroko interrupted without so much as a raised eyebrow. Somehow, that made Kagami feel even more embarrassed. He ran his fingers through his hair, only stopping when he heard the sounds of barely-repressed laughter and looked up to see Kuroko’s shoulders shaking slightly.

Teasing.

Kuroko was _teasing_ him.

Kagami took the opportunity to reach for the phone, and promptly bonked Kuroko on the head after he had successfully confiscated it.

“Ouch.”

“Don’t think I forgot about the time you used my account to livetweet as I cleaned my room. Permission to use my phone has been revoked.” He chastised, and searched around the room for the charger. He didn’t even notice the small but smug smile that Kuroko wore when he turned around to plug in the phone.

“Whatever you say, Kagami-kun.”


	6. In which Kuroko contemplates invitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Usually the showcase has a small attendance fee, but since your work will be featured, you’ll be provided with a pass for yourself and two others."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this, some semblance of a plot bunny??? My god.
> 
> The first two chapters of this fic have had minor edits made for the sake of semi-continuity.

Kuroko didn’t often consider his talents exceptional. His grades were higher than average in high school, and he may have been in the school's art club, but he wasn’t on any sports teams, and he didn't earn any prestigious awards; Most of the time, in his own opinion, he hardly stood out at all. Which is why, on the day of his second official critique in film technique, he was surprised to hear the professor commend his skill and request to see him after dismissal.

The assignment seemed simple enough- students had one week to compose a single-shot scene where an actor loses then finds an object. No dialogue was necessary, no lighting or costume changes needed to be made, and no edits had to be placed. However, the constraints were harder to deal with than initially thought, and Kuroko wasn’t sure that he would have been able to pull off the assignment if it wasn’t for the help of Riko- thank god she was available to offer her assistance with the camerawork. Somehow, after nearly tearing his hair out during planning and struggling to shoot, Kuroko had managed to get a result that he was proud of. His presentation of his finished work was quick and concise, and when he returned to his seat afterward, he felt the relief akin to having a large weight lifted off his back. Critiquing other works seemed much easier from then on.

“I’m truly impressed, Kuroko,” His professor told him after the presentations were over, “For a beginner, you’ve gone above and beyond expectations. With your permission, I’d like to submit your short scene to the institute’s beginner multimedia showcase next month.”

Kuroko’s eyes widened slightly, and he nodded quickly. “Thank you. It would be an honor.”

The professor smiled, and jotted down a few notes on a piece of paper to hand to Kuroko. “The showcase is on the nineteenth, from six to ten in the C-Wing. We display works from all different tracks, so you can wander to your heart’s content. Usually the showcase has a small attendance fee, but since your work will be featured, you’ll be provided with a pass for yourself and two others.”

Kuroko offered a light smile in thanks, took the paper, and gathered his supplies. On the way out of the building, he realized that he had no idea who he should ask to join him. His parents most likely wouldn’t be able to join him, due to distance and busy schedules.

_I could always invite Riko, Hyuuga, and Kiyoshi to join me- no, that wouldn’t work, I only have two extra tickets, and it would be unfair to leave one of them behind…_

Kuroko wracked his brain for other options- sure, he could invite Kagami, provided he wasn’t busy with his own schoolwork, but that would still leave a ticket to waste- while Kagami wasn’t unfriendly (though he probably appeared that way to many,) Kuroko wasn’t aware of anyone else who Kagami would want to invite, considering Alex and Himuro were studying back in America and could only talk via video-messaging nowadays. Maybe Kuroko could also invite Momoi, one of his acquaintances from his video editing workshop, but…

_She seems to expect more from me than I can offer. It wouldn’t do any good to get her hopes up._

He would hate to be the one to break the news that he played for the other team.

He spent several more minutes lost in thought, only snapping out of it when he realized he had walked long enough to reach the train station. He checked the time on his phone- only a bit after four. There was still time until he would be able to board. He sent out a quick text to Kagami asking about the possibility of getting a milkshake from Maji Burger after a job well done- and that’s when it hit him.

_Last time we were at Maji Burger…_

_Oh, that’s right._

_I could ask him._


	7. In which art is observed and confidence is gained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, he had been itching to have a night out with friends, and even though he didn’t know Kuroko and Kagami that well, he couldn’t just skip out on an opportunity to try something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I accidentally wrote 1100 words.

“Pack up your belongings, and we’ll meet again on Thursday.”

Kise stood up from his chair and stretched, glad that the last lesson of the day was over. All he wanted to do was go back to his apartment and take a long bath to unwind and wash off the pressure of the day, and he exhaled deeply when he passed the doorway and stepped out into the halls.

“Kise-kun?”

Kise nearly jumped.

“Kurokocchi? What are you doing here? Not that I mind, I just didn’t think you had anything to do in the photography room.”

“Actually, I came here to see you.”

Kise looked at Kuroko curiously. “How did you know I’d be here right now?”

“You mentioned that you took your art history class here when we met at Maji Burger,” Kuroko responded, and held out a piece of paper to Kise. Kise took the paper and read it carefully.

“ _One pass to the Kiseki Institute of Art’s beginner multimedia showcase…_ Is this for me?”

Kuroko nodded, and clasped his hands behind his back. “One of my projects was chosen to be displayed, and I received passes for myself and two friends. I was wondering if you would be interested in going with Kagami and I. The details are on the pass, if you decide to go.”

Kise’s eyes widened, and he glanced between Kuroko and the pass in his hands. “Are you sure?”

Kuroko turned to walk away. “If you want to join us, we’ll both be there.”

As Kise watched Kuroko’s retreating form, he felt himself smile slightly.

\---

The weeks leading up to the showcase passed in a blur; Kise continued his daily routine as normal, with nothing noticeable happening (though he did receive a few texts from his classmate Aomine, who had gotten into the habit of asking Kise for help with the work that he had forgotten to do.) Still, there were moments where he felt almost too aware of the innocuous slip of green paper in his supply bag. Well, he _had_ been itching to have a night out with friends, and even though he didn’t know Kuroko and Kagami that well, he couldn’t just skip out on an opportunity to try something new.

It didn’t take him much longer to make his decision.

\---

Kise knew there were a lot of students at the Institute, but sometimes, he realized just how many there were. When he arrived at the building right at six-thirty, he was surprised to see it packed with students from all kinds of courses. Painting, mixed media, printmaking, clothing design, all different sections- and crammed into such a tiny space! It was almost enough to make him feel claustrophobic. And how was he supposed to find Kuroko and Kagami, anyway?

Apparently, he didn’t have to, because before he knew it, he heard a voice calling out for him- “Yo, Kise!”

When he turned around, he grinned. Kagami and Kuroko were approaching him through the unexpectedly crowded area, both looking almost tired from making their way through the hordes of students.

“Hope I haven’t kept you two waiting,” Kise said casually, earning a shrug from Kagami and a small smile from Kuroko.

“We’ve only been here for about five minutes,” Kuroko said, then gestured around the area. “We should probably take a look around before more people arrive, otherwise it will be hard to get around.”

Kise nodded, and said, “Lead the way.”

\---

“Is that a sculpture of a frog?” Kagami asked, tilting his head to look at the piece from a different angle.

“I think it is,” Kise added, doing the same.

“Let’s see… it’s called ‘Lucky Item.’” Kuroko said. “Odd name.”

“It feels like it’s staring into my soul,” Kagami said afterward, and glanced around. “Come to think of it, this entire room is giving me the creeps.”

“They’re just sculptures, Kagami-kun. They’re not alive.”

Kise couldn’t help but laugh at the way Kagami seemed so unsettled.

“Let’s move on… please.”

\---

Roughly a half-hour later, after looking at some of the paintings, Kise had an idea.

“Can we go see the photography displays? I want to see who I need to compete with.”

“Which direction are they in?” Kagami asked. Kise grabbed Kuroko’s arm to lead him, and Kuroko in turn reached for Kagami.

Once they were in the photography lab, all three men stopped in their tracks.

There were pictures scattered everywhere- all over the walls, some on standing displays, and Kise couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of inferiority. Sure, he wasn’t bad at his work, but seeing himself compared to everyone else made him a bit jealous of their skills.

“Is everything alright, Kise-kun?” Kuroko asked, and Kise was surprised at his perceptivity.

“Y-yeah, just thinking. I have a lot of catching up to do, don’t I?”

Kuroko looked at Kise carefully.

“Art is subjective, Kise-kun. If you can be proud of your own work, it doesn’t matter much what other people think about it.”

“Yeah,” Kagami butted in, “And if you’re not proud of it, then that’s just a reason to try harder, right? It’s a challenge.”

Kise hummed thoughtfully- he hadn’t expected that sort of insight from either Kuroko or Kagami, and it was reassuring to know that others had confidence in him.

“Besides, we haven’t seen any of your photos other than the one you took of Nigou. If that one is any indication, then the rest are probably awesome too.” Kagami finished, clapping a heavy hand on Kise’s shoulder.

“I could text them to you, if you want,” Kise said without thinking.

Silence.

“Actually, Kise-kun, I think that would be great.”

\---

After swapping numbers, the conversation flowed easily between the three.

_(“Did you see the picture made entirely out of yarn?”)_

_(“The metalworking department has really outdone itself.”)_

_(“That pointillism poster made me dizzy.”)_

_(“Kurokocchi, your project was really well done!”)_

Despite Kise’s initial thoughts, the night ended well. The three didn’t stay all the way until ten, as they had already looked through most of the displays, and when they left the building, Kise felt more tired than usual.

“That was fun,” He said, and glanced over at Kagami and Kuroko.

Oddly enough, despite whatever weird relationship Kagami and Kuroko might have had, Kise didn’t feel like a third wheel when he joined them. It was almost pleasant how easily he fit in.

“I still think those sculptures were creepy,” Kagami said, and shivered. Kuroko laughed lightly, and the two waved goodbye to Kise.

_What a night._


	8. In which texts are exchanged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why do I get the feeling that this is going to become a regular occurrence?  
> (4:30 pm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided for this chapter, I'd go with something a little bit different!
> 
> Also, I should note that this will probably be the last of the daily chapter updates, because midterms are coming up and are probably going to kick my ass. So... yeah. I'll still update, just not on a daily basis.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's given kudos/commented so far, it means so much to me! ^u^

_Kagamicchi! \\(^o^)/_  
(4:15 pm)

**I still don’t get why you call me that.**  
(4:15 pm)

_Because I respect you, obviously!_  
(4:16 pm)

_I need your opinion on something._  
(4:16 pm)

**What is it?**  
(4:16 pm)

_Which shirt would make me look better?_  
(4:18 pm)

_The green one?  
[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:20 pm)

_Or the blue one?  
[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:21 pm)

**How should I know? I’m not a fashionista.**  
(4:22 pm)

_Eh, maybe I should ask Kurokocchi then._  
(4:23 pm)

**Just try them on and see which you like better.**  
(4:23 pm)

_[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:27 pm)

_[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:27 pm)

_I can’t decide :(_  
(4:28 pm)

**...Go with the green one. It makes your eyes stand out better.**  
(4:29 pm)

_You think so? Thanks, Kagamicchi ;)_  
(4:30 pm)

**Why do I get the feeling that this is going to become a regular occurrence?**  
(4:30 pm)

\---

**When will you be back with the groceries?**  
(4:52 pm)

In about five minutes.  
(4:52 pm)

You’re making curry for dinner tonight?  
(4:52 pm)

**Yeah.**  
(4:53 pm)

**I’m about to take a shower, so I won’t be able to talk. Just set the groceries on the counter when you get back.**  
(4:53 pm)

\---

_Kagamicchi, can you tell me which pair of pants looks better?_  
(4:56 pm)

**Kise-kun, Kagami-kun is not a fashionista.**  
(4:57 pm)

_Kurokocchi? Are you using Kagamicchi’s phone?_  
(4:57 pm)

**Yes. He left it on the counter before he went to take a shower.**  
(4:57 pm)

_Oh. Well, can you help me then? I’ll send the images to your phone :O_  
(4:58 pm)

\---

_[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:59 pm)

_[IMG ATTACHMENT]_  
(4:59 pm)

Kise-kun’s rear looks better in the black jeans.  
(5:00 pm)

_Kurokocchi!!! O_O_  
(5:01 pm)

I’m only being honest.  
(5:01 pm)

_I can see that…_  
(5:02 pm)

_Still, I appreciate it._  
(5:02 pm)

Kagami-kun is finishing his shower now, so I’m going to take one too.  
(5:03 pm)

I’ll talk to you again soon.  
(5:03 pm)

\---

**Did you already buy the pants?**  
(5:09 pm)

_Yes! Kurokocchi was very helpful ^-^_  
(5:10 pm)

**He didn’t say anything embarrassing after he used my phone, did he?**  
(5:10 pm)

_Of course not._  
(5:11 pm)


	9. In which Kagami is frustrated (in more than one way)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you know anyone else who would be better suited for the job?” Kuroko asked, and Kagami scoffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, despite the struggle with midterms coming up, I managed to write out this chapter (which was one of the first ideas I'd had for the fic.) Thank you to all of the people who have wished me luck, I think I'm gonna need it...

“AGH!”

“Kagami-kun, I don’t think this is working.”

Kagami rubbed his temples for the third time in the last hour, frustration beginning to settle inside him.

“Sorry, it’s just- you keep moving, and I can't concentrate,” He said, glancing down at his sketchbook, which was seated on his lap as he sat underneath one of the park’s trees. The page was full of crossed-out drawings, most only half-finished.

His drawing assignment for the week was simultaneously the easiest and hardest: gestures. It wasn’t like Kagami was a bad student, and his drawing skills were (usually) above average, but for this assignment, he actually had to work out of class to sketch someone. His model of choice was, naturally, Kuroko.

But Kuroko couldn’t hold a pose to save his life.

“Do you know anyone else who would be better suited for the job?” Kuroko asked, and Kagami scoffed.

“Not really. There’s only that one person who actually bothers to talk to me in class, and he’s kind of… intimidating.”

“I’m sure Murasakibara-kun isn’t as bad as you’re making him out to be.”

“He looks like he could crush me with his bare hands!” Kagami argued, then sighed and leaned his head back, accidentally slamming it into the trunk of the tree. “Ow.”

“Surely there’s someone…” Kuroko thought out loud, then hummed.

\---

“If you’re looking for someone to pose for you, you called the right person!” Kise said cheerfully, nudging Kagami in the side.

Fortunately, Kise hadn’t been too far away when Kagami made the call for help. It had only taken five minutes for him to meet up with the other two at the park.

“You know, I actually used to be a part-time model when I was in high school,” Kise added.

Kagami couldn’t help but let his eyes trail over Kise’s form- he was wearing the green shirt Kagami had recommended earlier that week, and a pair of black pants that…

Well, it wasn’t a bad view.

“Somehow, I’m not surprised,” Kagami said, trying his best to keep his voice flat. Kise pouted, and stood back.

“So, what kind of pose do you need me in?” He asked, earning a shrug in response.

“Anything will work, as long as you can stay still,” Kagami said, casting a side glance at Kuroko.

“Well then, let’s get down to business!” Kise said, and started to remove his shirt.

“Hey-- wait, what are you doing that for?! We’re in public!” Kagami said in a voice that wasn’t nearly as masculine as he wanted it to be.

“Eh? But wouldn’t it be easier to capture my form without a shirt in the way?” Kise said, almost-but-not-quite innocently.

“Do you want to get charged for indecency?” Kagami retorted, then mumbled, "Just hold a pose and we'll be fine," and picked up his sketchbook and pencils. If his face was a bit red, nobody decided to mention it.

Roughly an hour passed until Kagami deemed his work satisfactory, with Kise moving in a small variety of poses (fully-clothed) and Kagami carefully scribbling across the pages. Thankfully, Kise was able to stand still much more than Kuroko was, which Kagami appreciated. After he was done, he presented the drawings to Kise and Kuroko, who both looked impressed.

“Kagami-kun is quite talented.”

“Kagamicchi, are you sure you’re just a student?”

“Stop saying embarrassing things,” Kagami glanced away.

“Fine, fine. I should probably get going, I have work to do too,” Kise said, and stretched again. Kuroko and Kagami looked at each other, then back at Kise, and waved.

“See you around,” Kagami said, and packed up his supplies to walk back to the apartment.

\---

Kagami had never been more satisfied with a grade than he was the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrelated to the main storyline, but would anyone be interested in seeing a MidoTaka side-story?


	10. In which Kuroko takes a different route

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko made his way through the gaggle of students (sometimes his low presence had benefits) and picked up a red marker from the box. The boy standing looked incredibly uncomfortable.
> 
> “You look incredibly uncomfortable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a tiny bit of filler as a segue to some actual plot!
> 
> This chapter is not-so-secretly dedicated to my good friend Drake, who thinks Sakurai is "entertaining and adorable."

Kuroko wasn’t sure what possessed him to take a detour through the performance arts hallways from his creative writing class, but he supposed he was grateful for the change of pace. It was nice not to have to go through the bustling hallways, and the respite was pleasant. At least, until he saw a large group of students (most of whom he didn’t recognize) crowded around one of the corners. Upon closer inspection, he could see the cause- a nervous-looking brunette, standing almost statue-still in a white body suit littered with scribbles. By his foot was a small box of colored markers, and a sign that said: _Performance Installation- draw on me!_

“Please stop drawing near my knee, it tickles-- mpght! Sorry!” The man- more of a boy, actually- tilted slightly, trying to keep his position as a chuckling classmate doodled a flower right on his joint.

Kuroko made his way through the gaggle of students (sometimes his low presence had benefits) and picked up a red marker from the box. The boy standing looked incredibly uncomfortable.

“You look incredibly uncomfortable.”

The performer sighed as Kuroko kneeled to look at his leg, and said, “No kidding. I’ve been here for the last hour as a piece for my midterm assignment. Not one of my best days.”

Kuroko hummed in sympathy- he couldn’t stay too long without annoying the others in the crowd, but he couldn’t think of what to draw.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve seen you around here. You’re not in the set design class, are you?”

“Actually, I’m a film student. I decided to take a different route to the student union since the hallways were full. I’m Kuroko.”

The performer frowned, and held his head back up. “Sakurai. Just promise that you won’t draw anything crude on me.”

Kuroko said nothing as he carefully drew a penguin below Sakurai’s shin. After he was done, he capped the marker and put it back in the box.

“How much longer do you have to stand there?” Kuroko asked.

“Until the suit is covered in drawings.”

Kuroko winced, as though he could feel the pain, and turned away.

“Good luck.”

The rest of his trip through the university was uneventful, though as he walked, he felt something nagging in the back of his mind. Something about Sakurai’s words…

Oh, that’s right.

_Midterms._


	11. The Great Midterm Crunch: Friday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprisingly enough, this arc isn't completely inspired by my own midterm experiences, but by the experiences of several of my friends as well. There will be chapters for Saturday and Sunday too, and probably one talking about how they actually fare with their grades ;)

The weekend of midterms was a virtual nightmare.

\---

“Aominecchi, I can’t let you borrow my notes,” Kise spoke into his phone for what was probably the tenth time that Friday morning.

“Come on, the exam is on Tuesday and I’ve got nothing to work with!”

“That’s because you keep forgetting to copy the information down!”

Kise groaned, and looked through his bag as he sat on his bed. “I’ve already texted you the details of our projects a million times. And besides, I need them to study too!”

He could practically feel Aomine’s frustration through the other end of the phone.

“You have other classes, right? Can’t I borrow your notes while you’re not using them?”

“Aominecchi…”

“Please? I’m asking you as a friend.”

Kise paused, and finally said, “Fine, but only because we’re friends. And you’ll owe me one.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll take you on a shopping trip or something, and you can tell me all about your girly crushes or something like that.”

“That's not even funny!”

\---

Kagami frowned as he stared at the small clock at his bedside. It was nine-thirty in the morning, and he had tried to sleep in since he didn’t have any classes on Friday. Neither did Kuroko, for that matter- so why could he hear the sounds of cheap action movies and furious page-turning from the other side of the wall? Eventually, he decided that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, so he pulled on a fresh set of clothes (a t-shirt and sweatpants for pajamas just wasn’t good enough) and set out to see what was happening.

Kuroko was laying belly-down on the floor, staring intently at the TV (or at least as intently as his bleary eyes would let him,) occasionally jotting down notes in one of his books and switching to type on his laptop, which was seated directly in front of him. His hair was a mess, his yawns were loud, and…

“Why aren’t you wearing pants?”

Kuroko looked up from his spot, and simply said, “I don’t need pants right now.”

Kagami blinked.

“Okay, now I’m confused. Why don’t you need pants?”

“It’s not as though Kagami-kun hasn’t seen me wearing less.” Kuroko stated, ignoring Kagami’s question, and Kagami turned a pretty shade of red in response.

“Shut up. Do you mind telling me why you’re up so early?”

Kuroko yawned, and scratched the back of his neck. “I received a text from a classmate. Please fetch my phone.”

Kagami nodded, and searched around the main room for Kuroko’s phone, which he found near the doorway. After giving it to Kuroko, he was shown a message seconds later:

_Tetsu-kun! Have you started on your twelve-page essay for Film Appreciation? I couldn’t decide which movie to analyze! What’s your opinion?  
-Momoi ♥_

Kagami squinted at the message. “You completely forgot about writing the essay, didn’t you?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“When is it due?”

Kuroko frowned at his laptop as he erased several lines on the document. “Sunday night.”

Kagami sputtered. “Sunday night?! Kuroko, that’s too soon!”

“I’m fully aware of that, Kagami-kun.”

Kagami grimaced, and glanced at the TV, which was currently showing some car chase scene. Apparently, that was the end of the conversation, as Kuroko tuned back into whatever zone he was in. Kagami figured he might as well get a head start on his own projects.

\---

 _Kagamicchi, what’s your midterm schedule like?_  
(12:02 pm)

 **I have a drawing project due Monday, a design media principles work review on Tuesday, and a digital media foundations project on Thursday.**  
(12:07 pm)

 _So busy!_  
(12:09 pm)

 **If you think I’m busy, you should talk to Kuroko. He’s so busy working that he didn’t bother to put on pants this morning. And he has an essay due on Sunday night, too.**  
(12:10 pm)

 _That’s unfair :( Do you two have anyone to study with?_  
(12:13 pm)

 **Not really. It’s just the two of us, for now at least.**  
(12:14 pm)

 _I could join you, if you want. It’s better to be stressed together than alone, right?_  
(12:14 pm)

 **If that's your way of saying you want to hang out, then go ahead.**  
(12:16 pm)

 _Great! Text me your apartment and I’ll be over as soon as I can! ^-^_  
(12:18 pm)

\---

Kise arrived at the apartment exactly at one-fifteen in the afternoon, holding his laptop case, his camera supplies, and wearing a chipper expression. Truth be told, he didn’t really have too much work to do that it would overload him, but he wanted an excuse to see how Kuroko and Kagami were doing; They had already shown kindness to him, so he felt as though he could offer some sort of assistance in return when he arrived- whether it could be his opinions, or just his presence in general. He didn’t know what to expect when he traveled to the second floor of the complex and found the room number, but he could only imagine that, given Kuroko and Kagami’s personalities, it would be clean and vibrant.

Oh, how wrong he was.

The minute Kagami opened the door after Kise had knocked on it, Kise got a glimpse into the apartment and furrowed his brows. From what he could see, there were notes scattered all over the floor (mostly around Kuroko,) pencils and giant sheets of paper stashed around the area, and there were two half-full bowls of soup on the couch.

True to Kagami’s word, Kuroko was also only clad in a shirt and a pair of striped boxers.

“It’s messy,” Kuroko plainly called out after the view had settled in.

Kise stepped inside, and looked for a place to set his supplies down, eventually settling on the coffee table. The sound of blaring sirens started coming from the TV.

“You two are really cramming, aren’t you?” He asked idly, and Kagami groaned.

“No kidding. It doesn’t help that the assignments were dumped on us last-minute. I’d understand if it was finals week- but this is just ridiculous!”

“Kagamicchi, are you sure you can’t take a break?” Kise angled his head slightly, trying to look around the area. “At least organize the place, if you have the time. This place is a pig sty.”

Both Kagami and Kuroko looked at Kise, then glanced at each other, then back to Kise. Eventually, Kuroko stood up, and nodded. “Kise-kun has a point. Organization would make work easier.”

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck. “Alright, we’ll take a break. Now will you please put on some pants?”

\---

After taking a half-hour break to tidy up the area, the three men decided to get back to work. Most of the afternoon was spent in silence, with only the clicking of fingers against computers and the pause-play cycle of the movie on the screen as background noise. It wasn’t as though any of them minded- Kagami carefully worked on designing a cover for his process book, Kise designed color palettes as he waited for a text from Aomine to say he was done with the photography notes, and Kuroko switched between writing his essay and scribbling ideas for his creative writing poem. Occasionally, someone would get a text, or head to the restroom, or stand up to stretch, but beyond that, there was an almost eerie sort of peace that contrasted with the hurriedness of the weekend.

Before any of them knew it, it had reached five in the evening, and Kagami’s stomach gurgled loudly.

“I’m going to go make something to eat,” He said, and stood up from his spot on the couch. Kuroko hummed inattentively. However, once Kagami had moved to the kitchen, Kuroko directed his focus solely onto Kise. Kise watched him carefully, waiting for him to say something.

Kuroko was quiet for several seconds, then returned to glaring at his laptop- he still had five pages to write on his essay after watching and rewatching the film, not to mention the studying he had to do for his other classes.

“You should join us tomorrow, too.”

Kise was caught off-guard. “Really?”

“Your presence is… calming,” Kuroko admitted, still not facing Kise, “I’ve known Kagami-kun for a long time, and though we would frequently study together, he often got frustrated with his work. But now, it feels like he’s able to relax just a bit more with the addition of someone to stay with and bounce ideas off of… and, I would appreciate it, too.”

The look that Kise sent Kuroko was dubious, and Kuroko couldn’t exactly tell why, but eventually, Kise nodded and put on a smile that didn’t look quite believable.

“I can do that.”

\---

Shortly after Kagami had made himself a snack, Kise decided he needed to get going- “One of my friends has my notes, and I should probably get them back.”

Kagami cracked his knuckles, and sent a wave, while Kuroko looked at him with a carefully-placed blank expression.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” Kise asked, directing his question more to Kuroko than Kagami.

“See you then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might also write a MidoTaka side story in the same AU, if anyone's interested.


	12. The Great Midterm Crunch: Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise knew he’d have to accept that for the time being. Seeing as Kagami was in some sort of trance as he moved the pencils back and forth across the large square of paper, Kise had nothing to amuse himself with.
> 
> At least, not until he remembered his camera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost 2,000 words of mindless near-domestic fluff. How did this happen?
> 
> Sorry for this being uploaded on Sunday rather than Saturday, whoops.
> 
> Can you guess what happens after the midterm arc is over? ;)

Seeing as Kise hadn’t actually specified a time to come over to continue studying, Kuroko and Kagami assumed he would be over at around the same time he arrived the previous day.

For most of the morning, the apartment was quiet, save for the sounds of pencil on paper. Kagami had finished setting up the artwork for his process page, and was now working on a pencil rendering (which annoyed him to no end- why did there have to be so many types of pencil lead, and why wouldn’t his hand stop smearing?) Meanwhile, Kuroko had taken a break from his essay to focus on other work.

“Kagami-kun, can you assist me with this poem? I’m struggling with to think of a decent metaphor.”

“If you’re struggling, then I doubt I could be much help.”

“Fair enough.”

\---

 _Sorry for the late message, I thought I lost my camera bag and I spent the entire morning searching for it! ;-;_  
(2:25 pm)

It’s fine. You’re welcome to come over whenever you’re ready.  
(2:25 pm)

 _Is Kagamicchi doing okay?_  
(2:26 pm)

…  
(2:28 pm)

 _Did something happen?_  
(2:28 pm)

I may or may not have accidentally caught the microwave on fire.  
(2:30 pm)

 _You WHAT?! O_O_  
(2:31 pm)

I was trying to reheat some of yesterday’s soup and I forgot to take the spoon out of the bowl.  
(2:32 pm)

Kagami-kun is a bit irritable right now.  
(2:32 pm)

 _I’ll be over in an hour._  
(2:35 pm)

\---

The afternoon was rapidly passing by, and Kagami was still upset over the loss of the microwave. Sure, there wasn’t much use for it since Kagami often cooked from scratch (without leaving leftovers) but appliances were expensive to replace, damn it! He was lucky his parents were willing to send money for (most of) Kagami’s necessities since he was still a student and didn’t have much time for a part-time job, but they wouldn’t be happy with that sudden development.

He knew it wasn’t Kuroko’s fault- at least, not entirely, since Kagami knew Kuroko’s cooking skills were minimal, and it had been an honest mistake. At least Kuroko and Kagami had long passed the point in their friendship-slash-semi-relationship where they would sulk if something went wrong. Maybe it was just the stress of his assignments getting to him, and he needed to walk it off.

As it happened, when he opened the apartment door to step out, he smacked straight into Kise, nearly sending both of them stumbling backwards.

“Ow!” They said in unison.

When Kagami managed to regain his balance, he took a look at Kise, who had brought his laptop case, his camera bag, and… a paper bag with near-unintelligible marker writing on it.

“What’s in the bag?” Kagami asked.

“Well, hello to you too,” Kise said, adjusting the case for his laptop. “I thought I’d bring a little something to cheer you both up, since you asked. Maybe it will help you both patch things up.”

Kagami quirked an eyebrow. “We’re not a couple, you know.”

“I never said you were,” Kise replied smugly, “Now, where’s Kurokocchi?”

Kagami frowned slightly. “He’s in his room, taking a nap. I think he crashed after he finished writing some poem. I’ll go wake him up.”

Kise set down his laptop and followed Kagami as he crossed through the small area to reach Kuroko’s bedroom, and Kagami knocked on the door.

“Kuroko? Kise’s here, he has something for you.”

The sound of slight grumbling could be heard, followed by footsteps, and finally the door opening.

This time around, Kise saw that Kuroko was wearing pants (a fact that he was grateful for,) but his bedhead was awful. “Is his hair always like that when he wakes up?”

“Afraid so.”

Kuroko looked between the two, shook his head to wake himself up, and brushed past them to the kitchen, looking blankly at the pile of scrap that now vaguely resembled a microwave.

“Anyway!” Kise exclaimed after glancing at the mess, “I brought sugar cookies for all three of us. Something sweet to reward ourselves with later after working our asses off, right?”

Kuroko looked at Kise carefully. “Are they vanilla?”

“Yeah, they are.”

And then, Kuroko smiled at him- not one of his small smiles, but a bright smile that didn’t come along very often.

“Thank you, Kise-kun.”

Kagami watched Kuroko smile, and shared a smile of his own, seemingly pleased with how things had unfolded. “Let’s see how they taste,” He added, and reached for the bag, only to have Kise slap his hand away.

“I said later, Kagamicchi. For now, we have work to do.”

\---

Kise was actually the first to complete all of his work, which he was thankful for. Aside from retrieving his notes from Aomine the previous day and pouring over those, he didn’t have much left to do. His designs for his color theory class were already submitted online, his photos were done being edited, and he didn’t feel much obligation to do anything else. So naturally, he entertained himself by watching Kagami and Kuroko work.

Kagami was stretched out on the floor, roughly where Kuroko had been the previous day, and was moving his pencil back and forth over the same area of a drawing, steadily making the lines darker. From what Kise could see, Kagami had already outlined the shape of an apple next to a glass bottle. He had said something about “rendering textures,” but Kise couldn’t hear the rest of what he was saying as he idly muttered to himself.

Kuroko, on the other hand, was still typing up a document, and had occasionally switched to look at a few video tutorials on his laptop screen (Kise assumed those were for a different class.) Eventually, he got bored, and wandered over to Kuroko.

“Kurokocchi, can I see your poem?” He asked, glancing at the notebook that Kuroko had been writing in. He had seen Kuroko do a few doodles in the margins, but hadn’t had the opportunity to actually read the words written down. Kuroko placed his hand over the notebook, and shook his head.

“Actually, I was hoping to save that for my class,” He said, paused, and added, “It’s a bit embarrassing. I asked Kagami-kun for help with it earlier, but that didn’t help much.”

Kise was almost tempted to read it anyway.

“You should recite it for us when you get your grade for it,” He teased, just for the hell of it.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Kuroko responded flatly.

Kise knew he’d have to accept that for the time being. Seeing as Kagami was in some sort of trance as he moved the pencils back and forth across the large square of paper, Kise had nothing to amuse himself with.

At least, not until he remembered his camera.

A mischievous smile formed on his face, and he carefully reached for his supply bag and quietly removed the camera. Considering his passion for capturing moments, all he had to do was wait for something good to happen. Or, perhaps, he could make something good happen on his own.

“You know, Kagamicchi, Kurokocchi, you both look like you could use a break. You’ve been working harder than I have, and I’m sure those sugar cookies would be good.”

Kagami glanced up from his paper and pencils, looking at Kise with a small amount of suspicion, but Kise only smiled innocently. Without hesitation, he stood up and looked for where Kise had set down the bag of sugar cookies, and when he found it, proceeded to pop an entire cookie into his mouth.

_Flash!_

“Aw, I thought I turned the flash off,” Kise said, though his voice wasn’t disappointed- in fact, he was actually grinning when he looked at the image shown on the screen. The lighting made the picture look odd, but it was still fun to look at.

“Hey!” Kagami squawked indignantly, though it was muffled, “Delete that!”

“I don’t think so, Kagamicchi,” Kise grinned, and showed the screen to Kuroko, who hummed with interest.

“Kagami-kun does look somewhat cute.”

Kagami made a strangled sort of sound, and abandoned the sugar cookies in favor of making a dash for the camera.

There was a brief struggle, wherein Kagami used his height to his advantage, only to be thwarted by Kuroko snatching the camera out of Kise’s hand at the very last second, leading to a brief and loud chase around the apartment (which would probably make the trio get a noise complaint later) and causing Kuroko to trip and fall face-first onto the floor, the camera thankfully still intact, as Kagami stumbled over him, landing in a similar position with their legs almost tangled together.

In short, it was an absolute mess, and one of the funniest things Kise had ever seen in his life.

He laughed as he retrieved the camera from Kuroko and snapped a quick picture of the scene, leading to a quiet groan from Kuroko and an annoyed-but-not-angry mutter of “bastard” from Kagami.

“Kise-kun, can you get me a sugar cookie? I’m currently unable to move, and I fear that it may be my last meal,” Kuroko deadpanned, and Kise laughed harder.

“Giv- just- give me a second, Kurokocchi,” Kise tried to say, and set down the camera so that he could fetch the small bag. Kagami had enough sense to try and untangle himself then, and stood up off the floor alongside Kuroko.

“Speaking of meals, what time is it? Aside from the cookies just now, I haven’t really eaten today.” Kagami mentioned, and Kuroko placed his hand on his stomach in agreement.

When Kise handed the bag to Kuroko and fished his phone out of his pocket to check the time, he said, “Seven-fifteen. It’s getting late.”

“Want to go to Maji Burger?” Kagami asked, and Kise shook his head.

“No, I try not to eat there too often. Plus, it feels like tonight calls for something better than fast food.” Kise reasoned.

“There’s a small diner not too far from the train station. It’s not very expensive, and they serve all-day breakfast,” Kuroko said, taking out one of the cookies from the bag and slowly munching on it.

“That should work.”

\---

Eating at the diner was a short affair. Though the walk was longer than the three of them would have preferred, it wasn’t too terribly far away, and the food was worth it. Kagami sighed contentedly when a waiter came to the table carrying an alarming amount of pancakes, though he shared several with the other two. 

Eventually, the night came to a close, and when the three returned to the apartment, they were all worn out, despite the earliness of the hour. Kuroko rubbed his eyes and moved to the couch, immediately letting himself fall onto it with a loud “thwap.” Kagami and Kise stared at him for several seconds.

“I’ll wake him up in a little bit; he looks exhausted,” Kagami said calmly, and looked at Kise, who had started to pack up his supplies.

“I should probably get going now. I don’t have any more work to do, and I’m not going to hinder your progress,” Kise said nonchalantly. Kagami knew it would take a bit of time for Kise to get to his own place, but said nothing about it. It wasn’t really in his place to tell Kise to stay the night, and he wasn’t sure if the other would want to anyway. He did, however, stop Kise’s hand as he was about to put away the camera.

“Hold up one moment.”

Kagami took the camera from Kise's hands, fiddled with the buttons for a few seconds, aimed, and shot. Shortly after, an image of Kuroko sleeping with a peaceful expression on his face appeared on the small screen, and Kagami handed the camera back to Kise.

“Stay safe out there,” Kagami said, and Kise nodded.

“Later.”


	13. The Great Midterm Crunch: Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those thoughts would have to wait anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After five days of not posting anything, I've finally got some content for you guys! And at almost 3,000 words, it's my longest chapter yet, I think. In which there is hardly any mention of actual schoolwork, once again, but hey, I introduced more characters, so yeah!
> 
> I really hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I do. ;)

By Sunday, Kuroko was worn out, but blessedly, he managed to get his paper completed and submitted online. He wasn’t sure how well he did- he’d only find out when the grade reports and discussion with his professors came back over the next few days. He felt glad to have it done and over with, but now… he didn’t know what to do. It was still early, only eleven-thirty when he looked at the time on his phone, meaning he had a whole day ahead of him. Kagami was still putting the last-minute finishes on one or two of his projects, and Kuroko didn’t want to bother him just yet- maybe when he wanted more attention, but not yet. He briefly thought of watching a movie- but honestly, after all the viewing and reviewing he had done the past two days, movies seemed off-putting. So… who else could he bother?

He didn’t talk to too many people outside his classes- he had briefly met with a few people at the library (Furihata, who was pleasant to talk to despite his plainness; Akashi, who made Kuroko feel vaguely anxious for reasons he couldn’t understand; and Midorima, who had remained mostly calm during their brief conversations until a man with black hair dragged him away.) He also knew Momoi, but while she was polite and he enjoyed conversations with her, he was afraid that contacting her to spend time one-on-one would be unfair, since he would just be encouraging her crush. That left Kise… but Kuroko was sure that he was going to enjoy his short break before midterms. Plus, they had been seeing each other quite a bit, hadn’t they?

Momoi it was, then.

\---

 _Hey. Are we going shopping today or what?_  
(1:18 pm)

 _Just let me get ready and I’ll meet you outside, alright?_  
(1:20 pm)

 _Hurry it up, I know you take forever to look through the clothes stores._  
(1:20 pm)

 _Patience is a virtue, Aominecchi. ^-^_  
(1:21 pm)

 _Do I look like a virtuous person to you?_  
(1:21 pm)

 _Point taken._  
(1:22 pm)

\---

Kagami groaned and stretched for what felt like the thousandth time that day- his muscles were stiff from staying in the same position for several hours at a time, drawing until his fingers cramped. Eventually, he had managed to finish his work, finally sighing with relief as he’d have the rest of the day off. It was 3pm, and Kuroko had left to go hang out with a friend, which meant he had the apartment to himself. Normally that would have been refreshing, but seeing as he hadn’t made any plans that day, he had nothing to do, and nobody to talk to- or at least, nobody who wasn’t in America or busy somewhere else.

Then again, who said he couldn’t just video chat with Himuro or Alex?

Smiling at his good idea, he sent out a message to Himuro.

\---

“So, Tetsu-kun, what did you have in mind for today?” Momoi asked cheerfully, and Kuroko relaxed. They had both chosen the park to meet up at, and knowing that Momoi didn’t have any specific expectations for the day helped ease his conscience.

“I was thinking we could go to the bowling alley near campus.”

Momoi’s expression practically lit up at Kuroko’s words, and she clasped her hands together. “What are we waiting for, then?”

The walk back to campus was calm. Momoi hummed quietly, and Kuroko listened to the sound of passers-by. Eventually, though, both parties felt more comfortable talking.

“So, did you have difficulties with your essay?” Momoi asked, and Kuroko made an affirmative sound.

“Yes, but I think I managed to get it done well enough.”

Momoi grinned, and looked straight at Kuroko. “I’m sure you’ll do great. You’re one of the smartest people I know.”

Kuroko thanked her quietly.

\---

“So how much longer are we going to be here? You said it would take five minutes,” Aomine complained, looking restless. While he didn’t actually mind going clothes shopping with Kise (because let’s face it, he did need some new threads,) he drew the line at a fucking _jewelry store._

“I just need a new earring since I lost my last one,” Kise said simply, and Aomine groaned.

“They’re all the same, Kise!”

“Silver or black?”

_“I don’t know.”_

Kise paused for a moment, and decided on the silver earring. Aomine breathed a sigh of relief.

“Where to now? Someplace where we can get something to eat, I hope.”

Kise smiled at Aomine briefly. “Well, I don’t usually spring for fast food, but you’ve been a good sport so far and I’ve been influenced for far too long. How about burgers? Or we could go to that really good steak place that I’ve heard about?”

Aomine grinned and slapped Kise on the back a bit harder than intended. “That sounds like an awesome idea,” He said cheerfully, but slowly, his grin faded into confusion. “Wait. You said you’ve been influenced for far too long. It doesn’t have anything to do with those two guys you told me about a few times- what were their names…?”

“Kagami and Kuroko,” Kise replied, walking alongside Aomine and giving him a curious look, “Do I really talk about them that much?”

“Kise, despite the flocks of vapid girls who follow you around campus, I know you’re incredibly fucking gay,” Aomine said, and Kise sputtered, “But seriously, the way you talk about them is a little over-the-top.”

Kise frowned and looked away. “I don’t know what you’re saying. Also, you’re paying for the food.”

“Damn it.”

\---

“Taiga, aren’t you supposed to be busy studying? It’s, what, four in the afternoon there?”

“Hello to you too,” Kagami said, smiling at the screen, “Actually, I’m done with most of my work. All that’s left to do is present it over the next few days.”

Through the awful quality of Himuro’s webcam, Kagami could see that Himuro was looking tired. 

Oh yeah, timezones were still a thing that existed.

“So is that why you decided to call? Because you were bored from your schoolwork?”

“I know for a fact that you’re probably procrastinating on your work too, Tastuya,” Kagami said smugly, “Besides, I’ll bet your courses are even harder than the ones over here.”

Himuro groaned, and ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re too right. I feel like I could die. Remind me why I moved back again?”

“Because you’re a sucker for pain?” Kagami suggested, earning a quick laugh from Himuro, and added, “Come on, then. Tell me about all your troubles, and I’ll try not to groan in pain at the sound of them.”

\---

The bowling alley was surprisingly crowded for a Sunday, especially considering that midterms would be due just the following day and many students were expected to still be studying. Kuroko supposed that maybe he had managed to catch a lucky break. The lights were bright in the alley, giving the place a vibrant feeling. Momoi asked for Kuroko to let her pay for part of the costs- they settled on a neutral ground where Momoi could just buy the food for them both, and Kuroko would pay for everything else. He didn’t particularly feel guilty about it, considering it wasn’t a date, and he had tried to make it clear to Momoi that that was the case. Eventually, after two games were played (Kuroko won both rounds- there was something about the way he could roll the bowling ball, almost like he was passing it,) they decided to take a short break and buy drinks- just water for Kuroko, and a soda for Momoi.

“Thank you for taking me out today, Testu-kun,” Momoi said, and took a sip of her soda, “I’m really having fun.”

“I’m glad for that.” Kuroko said.

A short silence lasted, and then Momoi looked up from her drink, looking surprisingly serious. “Tetsu-kun… I’m not going to make assumptions, but… we’re here as friends, right? And not more?”

Kuroko paused and nodded. “Not more.”

Momoi looked thoughtful for several seconds. “Is he cute?”

Kuroko was confused. “Is who cute?”

“Your boyfriend.”

Kuroko nearly choked on his water, a rare display of shock crossing his features. “Where did you get the idea that I have one?” It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the truth either.

“Call it woman’s intuition. You do have one, don’t you? Or is it complicated?”

Kuroko hesitated, and thought for several moments. His relationship with Kagami wasn’t one that he could describe easily. First and foremost, they were friends. Sure, they blurred the lines sometimes (okay, maybe more than sometimes,) but Kagami was hesitant to actually put a name to it, so Kuroko didn’t hurry to do so either. Plus, it wasn’t as though Kuroko hadn’t noticed other people as well. It was almost strange- he still had affection for Kagami, whether it be platonic or romantic, but he was able to look at others with interest while still maintaining the same status with Kagami. Was there a term for that?

Before he knew it, he found himself thinking back on all of the other people he had noticed during his years; Ogiwara, his childhood friend, who he had briefly thought about kissing during his more formative years when he couldn’t put a name to his feelings; Mayuzumi, who he had both despised and pitied, meeting during the summer before he had agreed to move in with Kagami, and yet there was something about his coldness that Kuroko found intriguing; and even now…

Briefly, he remembered the sound of camera clicks.

“It’s… more complicated than I can say right now,” Kuroko finally admitted, after what seemed like forever. Momoi smiled gently at him, and threw away her now-empty cup.

“Well, you’re a complex person. That’s part of why I like you,” She said, a note of sadness in her voice, “But if you’ve got someone who already makes you happy, then I’m happy too.”

Kuroko’s breath hitched, and he nodded. “Thank you.”

“Now!” Momoi continued, looking much brighter, “Let’s see if I can take you down this round.”

\---

“--and I still have the pictures of them running around. It was great!”

Kise smiled, and took a sip of his drink. He was almost surprised when he found out that the steak place he had gone to with Aomine had a salad bar, so he had fixed something small for himself (“Besides, you should be glad that I ordered something cheap, considering that you’re paying for everything,”) Meanwhile, Aomine was chowing down on a steak like his life depended on it. Aomine swallowed, and looked at Kise quizzically.

“And you’re sure you’re not interested in these guys?”

Kise frowned. “Of course I’m not. Besides, I’m pretty sure they’re already dating each other.”

“Didn’t you say that they weren’t in a relationship when you met them at Maji Burger?” Aomine asked, furrowing his brows,

Kise scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, and said, “Well, I don’t know how much has changed. I mean, they’re both really great people, and really cool too. I like seeing how they work together, and I’m glad I can actually be a part of their friendship, but if they’re together, I’m not going to get in the way of that,” He paused, realized what he said, and then added, “But that’s not to say that I like either of them like that. Otherwise I’d tell you.”

Aomine looked at Kise with an unimpressed expression, but said nothing.

Eventually, the two finished their meals, and decided to part ways.

“Thanks for hanging out,” Kise said, earning a shrug in reply from Aomine.

“It’s not like I had anything better to do,” Which was Aomine-speak for “I had fun too.”

As Kise walked away, shopping bags in tow, he briefly glanced back at Aomine. Remembering his words- _“Are you sure you’re not interested in these guys?”_ \- made him think more than he wanted to.

He didn’t bother to pay much attention to who he liked- it was what it was. He had fooled around with a few girls in high school, a few guys too, but none of it really mattered much to him. It was more of a way of passing time, a few flings here and there, nothing serious. Well, maybe there was one girl who he had liked before, but she ditched him for one of his classmates (he still wasn’t over Haizaki’s godawful personality,) and he eventually realized that it wouldn’t work out anyway. And anything with Kagami and Kuroko wouldn’t, he was absolutely sure of it. Sure, the two were cute, and funny, and kind of charming in a weird way, but it wasn’t a “three peas in a pod” type of deal, where everyone would fit comfortably together. And, Kise hardly knew either of them- well, he knew them, but he didn’t know as much as he could. He didn’t know the little things about them- what their sleeping habits were like, if they cried during sad movies, what kind of ice cream they liked… and he probably never would. But that wasn’t important, though. He wasn’t interested in learning those sorts of things when he had other things to focus on, like schoolwork, and eventually getting a job, and...

Kise totally wasn’t in denial.

\---

Kagami glared at his laptop screen as Himuro continued talking.

“Obviously, Space Jam is a brilliant piece of work. It mixes cartoon characters and real life!”

“Tatsuya, Space Jam is an outdated movie made for little kids.”

“So then I don’t understand why you don’t like it!”

“That was a low blow.”

Himuro laughed louder at Kagami’s plight.

“Seriously though, you never complained about movies before, especially not about what’s clearly a cinematic masterpiece.”

Kagami scoffed. “I think I’d know more about ‘cinematic masterpieces’ than you; I’m rooming with a film student.”

“You mean you’re sleeping with a film student.”

Kagami grumbled out a stilted “Of course not.”

Himuro sighed, obviously tired with Kagami’s antics. There was something to be said about fragile masculinity.

“Taiga, first of all, I don’t really mind that sort of thing. You should know that by now. Second of all, it’s not like I haven’t seen you staring at boys before. Plus, it’s hard not to see the way you looked at Kuroko all those times when I was still in Japan with you,” Himuro stopped, and then said, “Unless… there’s someone else you’re interested in.”

Kagami shook his head. “Why would that even cross your mind? It’s not like I talk to too many people in my classes.”

“Well, how am I supposed to know that? You only talk about your projects and not much else. For all I know, you could be a master womanizer.” Himuro said, clearly enjoying the way that one of Kagami’s split eyebrows twitched in frustration.

“I’m not. And there’s only one or two people I’ve talked to outside of class anyway.”

“So tell me about them.”

Kagami leaned back, and thought for a moment. “Well, there’s this guy named Kise, and he’s always texting me and Kuroko. It’s not bad, but he’s kinda… eccentric. Not a bad guy, he’s got ridiculously blonde hair and an earring-”

“Left ear or right ear?” Himuro interrupted.

“Left ear,” Kagami said, and Himuro hummed, “Why does it matter?”

“No reason, just curious. Go on.”

Kagami looked at the screen skeptically, but continued, “And he’s a photographer. He was actually with me and Kuroko when we were working on our midterms yesterday, he brought sugar cookies. He’s sorta snarky, if you talk to him enough, but like… not in a bad way. In a funny way.”

Hiuro was silent for a long time, and Kagami almost wondered if the video call had been dropped, until Himuro spoke up again.

“Sounds like he’s a good friend. Did you do anything else with him?”

Kagami looked back on his memories.

“Well, we went to the artist’s showcase a while ago, and he posed for me when I needed someone to draw, then there was the time that--”

“Taiga, I bet he likes you.”

Kagami’s eyes widened, and he shuffled backwards. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Either that, or he likes Kuroko. Or maybe he likes you both.”

“Is that even possible?” Kagami asked, tilting his head.

“I don’t know. It’s not the first time I’ve heard of that sort of thing,” Himuro said seriously, “Maybe I’m just looking too much into things--”

“You are.”

“--But, I think you should think about it. And with that, I’m headed off.”

“Tatsuya, wait!”

Beep.

Kagami stared at his computer screen, dumfounded, only able to think: He hung up.

Letting out a grunt of frustration, he closed his laptop shut and rubbed his temples. Begrudgingly, he admitted to himself that Himuro was right- he needed to think.

Why else would Kise, flamboyant, devilish, and… well, attractive, bother to talk to him and Kuroko when there were so many other people he could have chosen to spend his time with? He said he had friends in the photography department, didn’t he? Kagami started to recall the little incidents- the way everything seemed to click into place when they talked, the way that Kise was flirtatious, even when talking to them.

The shirt incident in the park certainly should have tipped him off.

But then, Kagami wondered, what am I supposed to do about it?

After all, it wasn’t as though three people could have that sort of relationship together, could they?

Those thoughts would have to wait anyway.

Of course, Kagami couldn’t put them off forever.

None of the three could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! Here's some of the long-awaited development! I can tell you, the next two chapters are going to be fun, fun, fun!


	14. In which something big is about to happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don’t have much time to explain, but you two and Kise have some serious shit to sort out.  
> (5:24 pm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY this fic has almost 1000 hits????? That really means a lot to me.
> 
> I was so excited writing this chapter! And I'm really looking forward to seeing how you guys like it ^-^

Despite the rush to finish everything that had gone on during the weekend, midterms were a quiet affair. When Kise entered the computer lab to upload his project pictures for critique, he noticed that all of his classmates- Aomine included- had almost-serene expressions on their faces, as though they weren’t about to determine how well the efforts of the first half of their semester would turn out. Kise wondered if anyone had even stressed over it in the first place. At the very least, it was refreshing. Taking a seat near the projector screen, Kise removed his camera from its bag, the USB, and set them both on the small desk to upload them. He was mostly confident in his work now; steady grades and compliments had boosted his ego, and he was more than prepared to face the challenge of his presentation.

But then, as his files were steadily loaded onto his computer screen, he tensed.

He had forgotten to switch over the pictures from the weekend onto a different location.

Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. The pictures of Kuroko and Kagami chasing each other through the house were funny, and Kise might have even wanted to show them to people, but then there was the last picture, the one of Kuroko sleeping calmly, that Kagami had taken for him. Looking back on it, it was a bit awkward that Kise would still have that photo in the first place.

That didn’t mean he was going to delete it, though.

Thankfully, he had managed to take the image off of his shared folder without deleting it off his camera, so nobody actually had the opportunity to see the picture, but by the time that he had safely managed it, he began to feel that same weird feeling he had felt the previous day. As he presented his project, he managed to keep himself looking regular (or as regular as he could be, anyway,) and when the next class project was assigned and everyone was deemed free to go, he tried to remind himself not to sigh with relief.

“Oi, Kise. You wanna work together on the next project?”

Kise stopped walking, which annoyed several students since he was smack dab in the middle of one of the hallways, but he looked back at the owner of the voice anyway. Of course it was Aomine.

“Sure, why not?” Kise said, moving aside so other students could pass through and he could get closer to his friend, “I could probably use a bit of help anyway.”

“Good, let’s meet up at the park on Wednesday then. The assignment deals with nature, right?”

“Wow- did Aominecchi just offer to start his work on time?” Kise teased, much to Aomine’s chagrin.

“Whatever. I’ll text you about details and stuff later, so just promise you’ll help.”

“I promise.”

\---

Kagami scowled as he entered the shared apartment.

 _“Your foundations are good, but you’re not seeing enough detail. Work on refining your drawings,”_ His professor had said when he presented his piece. At least Kagami had actually turned something in at all- some of his classmates didn’t even remember to do the assignment at all, damn it! Even though it was constructive criticism, he still felt a little weird about it. He had tried, and his effort hadn’t been good enough. And that was something that nearly pained him.

He didn’t even realize, in his mood, that he had made and then partially eaten a stress sandwich.

After he finished eating (because food was food, and he was still hungry, and it would be a waste to throw it away, right?) he decided that he could use a decent shower to relax. Once he had grabbed a towel, he opened the door to the small bathroom and immediately stopped.

Kuroko was in the bathtub, surrounded by bubbles and fussing with a small rubber duckie. His hair was all messed up from running the shampoo through it, and the entire room smelled like… lemon?

“Did you use a bath bomb?”

“Kagami-kun should learn to knock first.”

Kagami fidgeted with his towel, glancing away. “Sorry, I thought you had gone out or something.”

“Kagami-kun should also know that it’s okay to look.”

Kagami fidgeted even more, if that was at all possible.

The bath water hid most of Kuroko’s modesty, and Kagami had seen him at his not-so-modest a handful of times (pun not intended,) but there was something about talking to him this time that was different. Kuroko’s voice was off, which should have been the first sign, because his voice was almost always even, even when his face betrayed his emotions. Kagami didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse that he could read Kuroko so well.

“Hey, is… is everything okay?” He asked hesitantly, only receiving silence in response for several seconds that felt like hours.

“Kagami-kun… we need to talk.”

\---

 _Kurokocchi, I forgot to ask yesterday, but I think my earring might have fallen out when I was at your place on Saturday. Can you tell me if you see it?_  
(2:23 pm)

 _Kurokocchi?_  
(3:15 pm)

\---

Kuroko almost didn’t want his bath to end. If he stayed in the bathtub, he could put off his conversation with Kagami (who was dutifully waiting in the kitchen, presumably making some sort of drink for them. Kagami always made drinks when a serious discussion was about to take place.) But, he couldn’t wait forever, especially not if he would end up looking like a prune afterward, so eventually, he emptied the tub, dried off, and got redressed.

As he expected, Kagami had made two mugs of coffee, and had set them on the small kitchen counter as he waited for Kuroko.

“Thank you.”

Kuroko took one of the mugs and sipped from it, relaxing just slightly. Cream and sugar, just the way he liked it, the way that only Kagami could make.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s up?” Kagami asked, and Kuroko swallowed his drink before pushing forward.

“Kagami-kun… what are we to each other?”

Kagami looked at Kuroko, bewildered and nervous. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… are we…” Kuroko started, and struggled to find the right words. He didn’t often get so tongue-tied, but he needed to say something. “Kagami-kun. I like you. A lot. Not as friends, but something more.”

Kagami choked on his coffee, wheezing and doubling over. Kuroko patted his back, and helped him regain his breath, before patiently waiting for an answer. Kagami hid his face in his hands for a moment, contemplating, before speaking in a voice more subdued than Kuroko had ever heard him use.

“I- me, too. I do too.”

There was a short pause, and it felt like the tension in the air had been halved.

“Do you think it’s at all possible to like someone else in that way as well?”

“Hah?” Kagami voiced. Kuroko pursed his lips.

“Is it possible for someone to feel the same way about two people at once?”

Kagami scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Kuroko noted that his brows were furrowed.

“I mean… it’s possible, I guess, I’ve never actually… um, I’ve never… considered it before. Or at least, not until recently.”

Kuroko set down his coffee. “Recently?”

Kagami took a large gulp from his own mug, rubbed the corner of his mouth, and spoke carefully.

“I was in a call with Tatsuya yesterday, and we got to talking about all kinds of things, and… well, something like this came up, I think.”

“That wasn’t very specific.”

Kagami groaned. “Look, basically he implied that he had seen people who were in- in- that had that kind of relationship with multiple people, and I kinda pushed it out of my mind until now.”

Kuroko quirked an eyebrow. “And how exactly did that point of conversation come up?”

A quiet sigh escaped Kagami’s mouth, and he glanced away. “Because… because I had mentioned Kise, and then he said Kise probably liked me, or you, or both of us, and- that is, you shouldn’t have to worry about it, I don’t really like him that way--”

“That’s a shame, because I do.”

Kuroko could practically see the gears in Kagami’s head slowly spin to life.

“So… so both me, and… and him, we’re… you…?”

“Kagami-kun is as eloquent as ever. But, to put it shortly, yes,” Kuroko said, and before Kagami could get in another word, added, “My recently-discovered feelings for Kise-kun do not change how I view you, though. I still like you as much as I did before, and I know I can grow to like you even more, if you’ll let me,” He smiled, “Kagami-kun makes me very happy.”

And there it was, the bright red flush that spread across Kagami’s face as he gaped at Kuroko.

“You make me happy too. And… and if you really like Kise that much, I could like him like that, too.”

“Kagami-kun, you shouldn’t have to force yourself to-”

“I’m not forcing myself, okay?” Kagami said quietly, “It’s different than being with you, because you’re both- well, I don’t know how this sort of thing works, and I don’t know how I’d be able to handle two people at once, and he’s so not-you, but he’s also really… this is something I want to try. I want to try this.”

Kuroko’s smile widened, and he set down his mug to hug Kagami warmly.

“Only one problem, though,” Kagami said after their long embrace.

“What’s that?”

“How the hell do we tell him?”

\---

Kise frowned at his phone, only seeing a notification that Aomine had texted him to say he’d be a little bit late.

In truth, Kise had been hoping that it was either Kuroko or Kagami that had texted him. It had been two and a half days since the three of them had talked- which wasn’t a bad thing, by any means, since the three couldn’t be together all the time, but it was a bit worrisome. He had texted Kuroko first, and hadn’t gotten a response. Then he had tried Kagami, only with the same results. He briefly wondered if something bad had happened to them, or maybe if he had just said or done something wrong to upset them. He hoped he didn’t.

His grip on his camera bag tightened ever so slightly.

After several more agonizing minutes of waiting with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company, Kise thought that maybe he should leave and find something to do, when he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. He sighed with relief when he saw Aomine sprinting towards him, and adjusted the straps of his camera bag.

“You kept me waiting long enough,” Kise said, and smiled. Aomine glared half-heartedly at him, and took several deep breaths.

“Just… shut up and give me a minute. I have the assignment sheet we were given, so you can help me check things off the list when we take pictures of them.”

Kise hummed, and took his camera out of his bag. He had charged the batteries the night before, so he was ready to take photos for the entire day, if it was needed. Scrolling through his pictures to delete any unnecessary files, he stumbled across the photos from the previous week. Aomine peered over his shoulder.

“Are those the guys? Kuroko and Kagami?”

Kise nearly jumped, and glanced back at Aomine, who had carefully schooled his expression.

“Yeah, they are,” Kise said, and glanced around the area quickly in search of a change of subject, “Ah, there’s a group of flowers. We can take pictures of those, so follow me. We don’t have all day.”

“They look like they’d be your type.”

“And what type is that, Aominecchi?”

Aomine shrugged. “The cute shy type and the strong loud type? I don’t know.”

Kise stooped closer to the flowers, spotting a butterfly land on one of them.

“Really, I don't get why you don’t just ask them to hang out or something. It’s not like they can’t tolerate you," Aomine drawled, and the day went downhill from there.

\---

Aomine usually wasn’t one to mess around with other people’s personal lives- partially because he didn’t really care all that often- but this time, he needed to.

Kise was honest-to-god _moping._

They had talked on and off for several days, and ever since Kise had actually managed to admit that he had feelings for both of the guys, he seemed more frustrated (in more ways than one.) Aomine had a strong feeling that, if Kise actually managed to hook up with the two suckers who had captured his affection, he’d probably be much happier, if not less excitable.

And so, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

The trick was to get a hold of Kise’s phone when he wasn’t paying attention- which wasn’t nearly as easy as he thought. It wasn’t that Kise was glued to his phone or anything, but he was surprisingly observant when he wanted to be, and the one time that Aomine tried to reach for his phone during one of the lectures, Kise had slapped his hand away and said “It’s rude to touch other peoples’ belongings, Aominecchi.”

Eventually, though, he was presented with the perfect opportunity- one of his dumbass classmates had decided to bring in a can of juice and accidentally spilled it on Kise’s shirt, making the blonde boy rush up to wash it off, conveniently leaving his phone behind. He didn’t waste any time in looking through Kise’s contacts, looking through the ‘K’ section before he found two distinct names- and promptly copied their contact information into his own phone.

Let nobody say that Aomine never did anything for anyone.

\---

[GROUP MESSAGE STARTED AT 5:18 PM]

Hey, you two are Kise’s friends, right? Kuroko and Kagami?  
(5:18 pm)

Who is this?  
(5:20 pm)

Another friend of his.  
(5:20 pm)

 **Can we get a name?**  
(5:21 pm)

Aomine Daiki.  
(5:21 pm)

You’re the one who keeps borrowing Kise-kun’s notes, aren’t you?  
(5:22 pm)

The one and only, I guess.  
(5:23 pm)

I don’t have much time to explain, but you two and Kise have some serious shit to sort out.  
(5:24 pm)

 **What do you mean “serious shit”?**  
(5:25 pm)

Ask Kise, not me.  
(5:25 pm)

And hurry it up too, he looks like he’s about to burst. In a lot of different ways.  
(5:26 pm)

 **Something about that sounds really gross.**  
(5:27 pm)

Aomine-kun, please just tell us what you’re trying to imply.  
(5:28 pm)

Nevermind, you three aren’t worth wasting my time on.  
(5:30 pm)

 **Hey!**  
(5:30 pm)

 **We’re not done here!**  
(5:35 pm)

 **AOMINE!**  
(5:42 pm)

\---

Kise-kun, both Kagami-kun and I would like to talk to you tomorrow, if at all possible. Please meet us at the Maji Burger where we first properly talked, at noon.  
(9:25 pm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry bout the cliffhanger.
> 
> Sorta. ;)
> 
> Also, I hope you all could tell how that snippet looped around to the beginning chapter. Yay for continuity!


	15. In which there is resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Okay, I really can’t do this. Kuroko, you tell him,” Kagami said, landing his head on the table with a loud thunk that was enough to startle several patrons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has reached 50 kudos! ^-^ Have this very special chapter as my thank-you.

“Do you think he’ll actually show up?” Kagami asked, for the third time in the last seven minutes. Both he and Kuroko were seated together at one of the booths in Maji Burger, leaving the other side of the table clear. That meant that every time Kagami shifted nervously, he would rub up against Kuroko, which was uncomfortable for both of them. But Kuroko knew that Kagami was trying his best to keep his composure, so he couldn’t bring himself to tell him to stop.

“You’ve asked that plenty of times, Kagami-kun. It’s only three minutes past noon. Have patience.”

Considering the jitters that Kuroko himself had, he was surprised he managed to stay the voice of reason between the two. He himself wasn’t even sure that Kise would show up.

Kagami checked his phone, then groaned. “Why did we even choose Maji Burger to meet up?”

“Sentiment,” Kuroko said, “That, and I thought you would be hungry.”

“How could I eat at a time like this?”

“That may be the first time I’ve ever heard you say that.”

“You little--”

Before either of them could say something more, they heard the sound of the doors being pulled open, and both turned to see Kise enter the building.

Kise glanced around, stopping and grinning when he saw Kuroko and Kagami. He didn’t waste any time in approaching the two, and immediately took a seat across from them.

“Good to see you two again!” He said, and paused, “Eh? Kagamicchi, you’re not eating anything?”

“I do more than eat food!” Kagami said, slight annoyance in his voice, and Kuroko relaxed slightly.

“Hmm, then I suppose Kurokocchi hasn’t eaten either?” Kise hummed, and Kuroko shook his head in response. Kise laughed. “Is this a business meeting, then?”

A short silence followed, and Kise looked at Kuroko and Kagami with unease. “Is something wrong?” He asked carefully, his grin faltering.

Kagami sighed, as if he was trying to clear his muddled thoughts. “No, not really, but it’s something that can’t really be put into words.”

Kise tilted his head in question.

“What Kagami-kun is trying to say is… ah.” Kuroko started, then stopped to think, “We both got texts from Aomine-kun yesterday.”

“That’s all? How did he get your numbers?”

“Hell if I know,” Kagami interjected, but went quiet afterward to let Kuroko continue.

“He said, verbatim, that we have some serious shit to sort out.”

Kise laughed loudly- “Kurokocchi, did you just swear?”- and looked between the two, but his laughter faded when he saw how completely serious they were.

And something hit him.

“What else did he say?” Kise asked carefully.

“Nothing. He just told us that we needed to ask you about it. And, well, we figured that it was better to talk about stuff sooner rather than later.”

“Stuff?” Kise asked, and bit his lower lip.

There was an almost eerie quiet between the three, oblivious to the people moving around them.

“Okay, I really can’t do this. Kuroko, you tell him,” Kagami said, landing his head on the table with a loud thunk that was enough to startle several patrons.

“Kise-kun… Kagami-kun and I have entered a relationship.”

Kise blinked, and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, it’s about time…”

“And the invitation to join extends to you.”

More silence.

“Sorry, I think I misheard, for a moment it sounded like you said--”

“We did,” Kagami interrupted, though his voice was harder to hear since his head was still on the table.

“That’s--” Kise started, and for once, felt very, very speechless. Nearly a minute passed, where Kagami picked his head up off the table and looked out the window, Kuroko looked down at his thumbs, and Kise stared off into space.

“If Kise-kun is uncomfortable with the idea, please know that--”

“This isn’t a joke, is it?” Kise said, and closed his eyes. “It’s not funny to say those kinds of things just to get under someone’s skin.”

“We’re not joking,” Kagami said, “But if you’re not interested and we misread everything, then--”

“How would it work?” Kise said, his voice going firm and intense.

Well, it was better than disgust, at least.

“We don’t know,” Kuroko admitted, “But we can find out. We want to be able to find out, together. If you’ll have us.”

Kagami hesitated, and decided to pick up where they left off before. “If you just need time to think, we’ll wait. Or even if you’re disgusted or you just want to stop seeing us altogether- which I really hope you don’t- then we’ll leave you alone.”

Kuroko drummed his fingers against the table, and Kagami gripped the edge of the table nervously.

Eventually, Kise reached out to take both of their hands in his own.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, for once,” He said, with the barest hint of a tremor in his voice, “But I’ll try to figure things out. With both of you. So just… take care of me, okay?”

Despite the awkward stretch that came with Kise’s hand-holding, he smiled nervously.

It took a moment for the realization to dawn on Kuroko, slightly longer to dawn on Kagami, but when it settled, they both smiled too, hearts fit to beat right out of their chests.

“Uh… thanks.”

Kuroko and Kise stared at Kagami, and burst into fits of laughter.

“Kagamicchi, that was the most awkwardly placed ‘thank you’ I’ve ever heard!” Kise breathed out in between laughs of relief.

Kagami turned red, and pouted. “Hey! I was just trying to lighten the mood, you know?”

“Sure you were, Kagami-kun.”

Eventually, the laughter died down, and the earth continued to turn.

“I don’t know about you two, but suddenly I have an appetite again.”

“I could go for a vanilla milkshake.”

“That sounds good, Kurokocchi, maybe I’ll get one too.”

“Well, let’s actually order something, then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've still got quite a few things planned for VHD, so now we're actually going to see glimpses into what it's like now that they're together! c:


	16. In which Kise is hopeful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There wasn’t any way to prove that it would last, but for the first time in a long while, Kise believed that it could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, sorry for the late chapter, everyone! I'm having major computer/writing troubles right now, but hopefully that will change relatively soon!

The rest of the meeting at Maji burger went well, and Kise felt himself floating on clouds.

He had talked to Kuroko and Kagami about what kind of limits they should set; Their decision was that they should take things slowly to get used to the relationship, and if anyone felt uncomfortable with the way things were progressing, it was best to let the others know as soon as possible. Kise was fine with these; he was just happy that things had worked out in everyone’s favor. And that he now had two cuties who he could call his boyfriends, too.

After they left the restaurant, Kuroko turned to Kise.

“Kise-kun, would you be interested in coming back to our apartment? We were planning a movie marathon, and you’re welcome to join us, if you want.”

Kise sighed and shook his head. “I want to, but I have a few reading assignments to do, and notes to look over.”

Kagami shrugged, and said, “Well, whenever you get the chance, you have our numbers.”

Kise smiled, and took a quick glance around them. Nobody on the street, or at least nobody he knew or cared about.

“Is it okay if I kiss you two before I go?”

Kagami looked at Kuroko, who nodded, and then looked back at Kise. “If you want to.”

With that, Kise stepped forward and gently placed his hand on the back of Kagami’s neck, pulling him down to kiss his cheek. Afterwards, he turned to Kuroko, moved down a bit so he was at Kuroko’s height, and did the same. When he was done, he gave the two a wave, and happily marched off.

\---

 _So when were you planning on telling me that you practically threatened Kurokocchi and Kagamicchi? :/_  
(2:07 pm)

I have no idea what you’re talking about.  
(2:07 pm)

 _Sure you don’t. How did you even get their numbers, anyway?_  
(2:08 pm)

I stole them off your phone earlier.  
(2:08 pm)

 _I don’t know what you said to them, but it worked._  
(2:08 pm)

So you’re banging now?  
(2:09 pm)

 _No!_  
(2:10 pm)

 _We’re taking things slow._  
(2:10 pm)

You need to introduce me to these guys some day.  
(2:11 pm)

 _I didn’t know you wanted to meet them._  
(2:13 pm)

Of course I do. That way I can tell them that if they break your heart I’ll break their faces.  
(2:14 pm)

\---

Ideally, Kise was spending the afternoon getting work done like he had said. That was ideally, because in reality, he was far too energized to actually focus as he lay on his bed, trying to make sense of the book in front of him. He had texted Aomine a few times to hopefully alleviate some of the antsiness, and it worked to a point, but he still felt unreasonably… bubbly, for lack of a better term.

He had been in relationships before- quite a few, really, but for most of those relationships, they only lasted several weeks, at most. It wasn’t as though he didn’t enjoy his time, but the feelings just weren’t there, and he couldn’t keep stringing along girl (and occasionally guys) without guilt gnawing at him. This time, something felt different. Maybe it was just that he hadn’t had the opportunity to take things slowly with someone (or in this case, two someones) and he hadn’t been rushed into forming something. Maybe it was that Kagami and Kuroko weren’t so clingy and attention-demanding that Kise would lose his mind. Or maybe it was just because there was something about Kuroko and Kagami that made Kise feel better about falling into a relationship.

There wasn’t any way to prove that it would last, but for the first time in a long while, Kise believed that it could.

Now, Kise didn’t want to use the word “lovesick,” because that would imply that he was in love with both Kuroko and Kagami, and it was way too soon to bring that word into play. But, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t spend most of his afternoon flicking his gaze from his books and notes to his phone, hoping for something (though he wasn’t quite sure what that something was.)

Maybe he should have taken Kuroko and Kagami’s offer- he wasn’t being very productive at the moment anyway. Suddenly, his phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he eagerly picked it up to see a picture message from Kuroko.

Kagami was sitting on the couch, his arms wrapped around his legs as he drew his knees to his chest, making him look almost comical. His lips were pursed and his brows were furrowed in deep concentration, as if he were contemplating the meaning of life.

Seconds afterward, Kise received another picture message, this one of the TV screen, displaying a cartoon bunny holding a basketball.

He let out an undignified laugh.

Finally, one last text:

Kagami-kun is making me watch one of his American movies now. I don’t understand.  
(4:07 pm)

Kise laughed, sent Kuroko a selfie (tacky peace-sign included) in response, and looked back at his books. _I still have a lot to learn about Kuroko and Kagami_ , he thought, _but I can’t wait to find out more_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many "Space Jam" references can I fit into this fic? At least two, evidently.


	17. In which Kagami feels domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As it happened, he was reflecting on all of this as he made dinner- not for one or two people, but three. It had been Kuroko’s idea to invite Kise over to eat, and not just at a fast food joint (“Kise-kun hasn’t had your cooking yet, and we need to fix that. Also, the microwave is still busted.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shows up 2 months late with Starbucks*
> 
> So as it turns out, I had this chapter half-finished in my drafts. I feel like I've been focusing less and less on actual school stuff as the series progresses, so I might try to actually incorporate some good old fashioned art stuff into the next chapter. Hopefully.
> 
> Special thanks to AO3 user elane for reminding me to get my ass in gear with this fic.

Being in a relationship was simultaneously exactly and nothing like Kagami expected.

It had been about two weeks since he had actually entered a relationship with Kuroko and Kise, and things were… surprisingly normal. At least in terms of the way they talked to each other. Kise was still as sly as ever, teasing the two and being his usual chatty self. Kuroko still wore his blank expression at most times, speaking in that almost-infuriatingly formal tone. And even Kagami himself didn’t feel as though he had some huge personality change. He didn’t daydream about holding hands and fancy love letters and the like. They were more or less the same as always.

But then, there were times where it would hit him that he cared and was really cared for.

Whenever he would learn just a little bit more about Kise, whether it be something small like how one of his sisters had gotten him into modeling, or how he had tried piercing both of his ears but it hurt too much, or something big like how he had never been able to decide what he wanted to do with himself in school until he decided to go into photography, Kagami felt just a little bit closer. Sure, he might not have had nearly as much of a history with Kise as he did with Kuroko, but that didn’t matter, because it wasn’t a competition.

And sometimes, Kuroko would wrap his arms around Kagami’s waist as he cooked, or he would gently place Nigou on his lap when Kuroko’s parents visited over the weekend- he briefly wondered if they knew that things had changed between the them, or if the small smiles they sent were truly innocuous- and the time when he had fallen asleep at his desk and, instead of finding a blanket draped around him as usual, he had been woken up by a tentative kiss on the cheek…

Well, life was going better than he had anticipated.

As it happened, he was reflecting on all of this as he made dinner- not for one or two people, but three. It had been Kuroko’s idea to invite Kise over to eat, and not just at a fast food joint (“Kise-kun hasn’t had your cooking yet, and we need to fix that. Also, the microwave is still busted.”)

Kuroko was lounging on the couch, letting himself unwind for the day, and Kagami couldn’t help but think that it was almost adorable.

Soon enough, there was a knock on the door, and Kuroko picked himself up to answer it. After the door was opened and Kise was let in, Kagami heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and briefly smelled something… citrus-y?

“Hey. Are you wearing perfume?” Kagami asked, glancing away from the skillet.

Kise scratched the back of his neck and laughed lightly. “Actually, it’s cologne.”

“It smells nice, but you didn’t need to get all fancied up for us. It’s just dinner,” Kagami said, a bit awkwardly.

“Maybe I was hoping to impress you,” Kise teased, and soon, Kuroko joined the two in the kitchen, making it crowded.

“We didn’t say it’s not appreciated,” Kuroko chimed in, reaching for Kise’s hand and dragging him away from the kitchen. “We should let Kagami-kun cook, though. In the meantime, you can tell me how your projects are going.”

“Oh, don’t get me started…”

\---

Once dinner was actually ready (Kagami had just prepared a simple stir-fry,) the trio sat down at the small table. Kagami watched Kise intently, trying to gauge his expression as he ate. One bite, and then his expression turned to bliss.

“Kagamicchi, how did you learn to cook like this? It’s delicious!”

“I just learned on my own, I guess? I used to live by myself, so I just sort of adapted. And when Kuroko moved in, it was all the more reason to keep cooking.”

Kise grinned, and nudged his shoulder. “I’m definitely going to have to come over more often, then.”

The rest of dinner was relatively quiet, but not uncomfortable. There were laughs shared between the three, and at one point, Kise had reached over to swipe some rice off of Kagami’s lower lip, leading to an impromptu kiss. It was liberating for Kagami, to know that he could do that sort of thing- just be able to kiss Kise and Kuroko without hesitation, and after the dishes were washed and put away, he decided to do exactly that.

The night wound down, finally, and Kise sighed as he picked up his belongings and prepared to leave. 

“I’m glad you two invited me over,” Kise said, and Kagami nodded, clapping a hand on Kuroko’s shoulder.

“It was good to have you over,” Kagami said, and added, “Maybe next time you can actually stay the night. I mean, not like _that,_ but-”

“Goodnight, Kagamicchi. Goodnight, Kurokocchi,” Kise cut Kagami off with a quiet chuckle, and waved goodbye.

Maybe he was becoming a little too sappy, Kagami thought, but the domesticity of it all left a warm feeling in his chest that lasted through the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled a bit with finishing this chapter, but better late than never, right?


	18. In which there is mild irritation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Briefly, he wondered about asking Kise where he wanted to go out to lunch, but his trail of thought was cut drastically short once he actually spotted the blonde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck, these chapters are coming out so slowly and I'm very sorry about that. Honestly, I'm not very pleased with this chapter, but I do have a half-finished chapter after this in my drafts (sneak peek: it involves Aomine) and then after that, I have Kagami's chapter that I'd been sitting on for a while, which is...............
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the wait (again) and I hope you enjoy this! ^^

“I can’t believe cute, innocent Nigou got a hold of your supplies,” Kise said idly as he walked.

Kuroko glanced at him, and noted that he didn’t seem too dismayed to be exploring the shopping district alongside him. Kagami hadn’t been able to join them on their little excursion, instead being swamped with a drawing project he had been neglecting for several days, meaning that Kuroko and Kise had the day to themselves.

“It’s fine. He went for my tripod rather than my other film supplies, and it should be cheap enough to replace that. I’m just relieved my video camera is still intact,” Kuroko said, and motioned for Kise to follow him around the corner.

The electronics store was bustling, so Kuroko wasn’t surprised that he and Kise had gotten swept apart the moment one had stepped away from the other. But they were both grown men (in body, if not in spirit) and they could handle themselves, so Kuroko didn’t find himself worrying too much. He browsed the shelves and displays, looking for the proper equipment- _it had been so much easier to find the right brand before the semester started,_ he thought. It took several minutes (and one startled employee) for him to be pointed in the right direction, but blessedly, he eventually found the right model that he was looking for. Checkout was much simpler, and before he knew it, he was almost ready to leave the store.

Briefly, he wondered about asking Kise where he wanted to go out to lunch, but his trail of thought was cut drastically short once he actually spotted the blonde.

Kise looked incredibly uncomfortable as he stood, talking to a young woman who was, to put it into his own words, way too _touchy-feely_. Even Kuroko, who admitted that he had little experience with female flirting outside of Momoi, could tell that she was coming on rather… strongly. And Kise looked like he couldn’t find an escape.

Kuroko’s eyes narrowed.

If he were more inclined to react immediately (like, say, a certain redhead he was dating,) he would have gotten huffy about it. Instead, Kuroko chose to think logically- it wouldn't help for him to get irrationally jealous. Quietly, he approached the woman, and spoke.

“Excuse me.”

The woman nearly jumped, and Kuroko almost took satisfaction in it. He looked at Kise, and smiled slightly.

“Kise-kun, I’ve found what I needed. Do you want to stop somewhere to eat?”

The relief in Kise’s expression was almost tangible, and he nodded enthusiastically.

“Sounds good!”

Before he could stop himself, Kuroko pulled Kise down so that he could kiss him on the cheek, and waved for Kise to walk alongside him, not wanting to take the time to spare a glance back at the woman.

“Thanks Kurokocchi, I was feeling a little trapped back there.”

“Kise-kun, you’re too attractive for your own good.”

“Is that a complaint?”

“Yes.”

_“Eh?!”_

Kuroko reached forward to take Kise’s hand into his own, smiling softly, much to Kise’s confusion.

“Just as a safety precaution, we should hold hands more often. It’s better protection from others who may wrongly assume that you’re available.”

Kise’s expression turned smug, then, and he squeezed Kuroko’s hand.

\---

Later, when Kuroko recounted the tale, Kagami groaned with a quiet “Why does this happen to Kise?”

**Author's Note:**

> Drop me a line at doomedtemperament.tumblr.com !


End file.
